Rubio calls for more humanitarian aid to Gaza
Speaking during a briefing in Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration wants more aid to reach civilians across Gaza, including territories still controlled by Hamas. “We want to continue to see the flow of aid increase into those parts of Gaza that are still under Hamas control,” he said.
Rubio noted that while a ceasefire is currently holding and large-scale fighting has eased compared to earlier periods of the conflict, the situation remains delicate and unresolved. He explained that current diplomatic efforts are concentrated on ensuring full implementation of the first phase of the truce so that the agreement can move forward.
Describing the current environment, he said there is “relative peace right now, for the most part,” despite reported violations, stressing that sustaining the truce requires “daily, constant follow-up and nurturing.”
He added that urgency is driven by plans to establish a stabilization framework for Gaza’s future governance. “That is why we are in such a hurry, and I say as a priority, to get to this point where we have the stabilization force in place, overseen by the board of peace and ultimately, a Palestinian technocratic entity that can increase in its capability to provide governance,” Rubio said.
When asked about proposals for an international stabilization force, including potential participation from Pakistan, Rubio welcomed the offer but said further discussions are needed.
“We're very grateful to Pakistan for their offer to be a part of it,” he said, adding, “I think we owe them a few more answers before we can ask anybody to firmly commit.”
According to Rubio, the US intends to first unveil plans for a “board of peace” alongside a Palestinian technocratic body responsible for day-to-day administration in Gaza. “Once that's in place, I think that will allow us to firm up the stabilization force, including how it's going to be paid for, what their rules of engagement are, what their role will be in demilitarization and so forth,” he said.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Oct. 10. Its initial phase included a suspension of fighting, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, exchanges involving hostages and detainees, and the resumption of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
The second phase, outlined in a 20-point proposal by US President Donald Trump, envisions the deployment of an international stabilization force, the disarmament of Hamas, a full Israeli withdrawal, and the establishment of a temporary technocratic Palestinian administration.
Emphasizing the sequence of the agreement, Rubio said, “We got to complete phase one to get to phase two. That's why we're working every day to get there.”
Meanwhile, Palestinians have accused Israel of repeated breaches of the ceasefire that ended a two-year conflict which, according to reports, has resulted in more than 70,000 deaths—mostly women and children—and over 170,000 injuries since October 2023.
Health authorities in Gaza reported that at least 395 Palestinians have been killed and 1,088 wounded in Israeli strikes since the truce took effect, according to official figures.
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